[Leeward]

Using "Netbook bootmaker" installs "Netbook Installer" on a OSX Installer USB Partition, and enables it in the Utilities Menu.

Since "Netbook Installer ***231" doesn't have a corresponding "Netbook Bootmaker",
you could simply copy the NBI ***231 to the USB partition and overwrite the the one installed by "Netbook Bootmaker" (located in the hidden "Applications" folder)

No Need to move other Utilities.

or…. are you guys talking about adding an additional "netbook Installer" to the USB partition so that you have the option of using either one ?

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by Leeward

,
you could simply copy the NBI ***231 to the USB partition and overwrite the the one installed by "Netbook Bootmaker" (located in the hidden "Applications" folder)

You'd think it'd be that simple. But that's not where NBI resides. It's on a "ram disk" generated when you boot from the istall USB. AFIK there is no way to modify that. But if you check post #9, using the command line will work.

Anyway, I haven't really heard of anyone having success in a practical application of this.. so maybe it's all for naught.

cheers.

[pcmaniac]

On USB original NBI application resides in
/Extra/Preboot.dmg->/Extra/Postboot.img->/NetbookBootMakerCLI.app/Contents/Resources/NetbookInstaller.app
(You need to mount Preboot.dmg and Postboot.img to get it ).
Postboot proc copies it to RAM drive to run from utilities menu. I did not try and do not see any practical way to modify it. Actually I like Oscar's hack better. In case somebody wants to play around - good luck and remember size does matter. The size of RAM drive NBI is loaded from...

[Oscar]

I must be bored this morning.........

I'm proceeding to break an OS X 10.6.0 install by running Software Update (to 10.6.7) on it without running NBI.

I'm doing this to test if it can then be repaired by running NBI Special from USB, as described in this thread--since I haven't so far gotten confirmation. I've previously tested this by breaking removing the boot folder. It took two runs; but I was able to fix that this way. I want confirmation on fixing the Kernel Panic though.

Will post result later.

Edit: WTH!!!!

ran Software Update, Mini Rebooted, NBI 0.8.4 rc1 ran on its own automatically pre-boot. ... And now I have a perfectly running 10.6.7 install. Dam* it! ... can't even break a system right.. . . . . NO KERNEL PANIC.....

Oh well... maybe I'll try with 10.6.3...

[Leeward]

PCManiac.. thanks for the info.. I assumed "it" was in a dmg someplace.

Oscar… looking forward to your test results.



Background info… I have an old usb WD hard drive that I had previously configured with multiple bootable partitions with copies of my Leopard and Snow Leopard and Windows XP Pro install disks.

I wanted to update the NBI available under the utility menu to NBI 351.

Eventually… If this works.. i want to make a new SL installer partition that ALSO has all the combo updates included.


Soo…..
Since i was changing the partition on the USB hard drive, I decided to test 8.5 pre by running it directly against the SL install partition on the USB hard drive
It borked the partition.

I expected this would happen actually….
To make the multiple partition install setup on the USB hard drive, I originally created functional installers on a 8 GB USB stick, then copied those to partitions on the USB hard drive.


soo.. back to try updating the NBI

I starting from scratch with a USB stick with a single partition.
Last night I made a new copy on the USB stick… with my macbook pro... following the info on Mechdrew's guide for SL…. used NB Bootmaker 8.4 rc.

Got a kernel panic (unsupported cpu).
Gonna try again today.. It worked before.. no idea why it did that now.

Once it's working, i'm gonna play around with updating NBI in the DMG image to NBI 351

Cheers !

P.S. this is probably all pointless (but interesting) since an 8.5 release candidate will hopefully be out this fall. FWIW, I see it mainly as a way to learn more.

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by Leeward

P.S. this is probably all pointless (but interesting) since an 8.5 release candidate will hopefully be out this fall. FWIW, I see it mainly as a way to learn more.

I tend to agree here; but yeah, I'm just trying to figure this out since there's so many posts with ppl mucking their systems while updating.

Here's where I am so far: 10.6.3 --- >10.6.7 via software update. Gets stuck on gray screen. But no kernel panic. System will boot using "recovery=y"; with no keyboard or trackpad function.

Tried the command line hack (as in post nine). But for some reason that give me an error, and will not run NBI. I started from scratch on this one, so not sure what happened with the USB when I re-prepped it, since running NBI from the command line worked fine before.

Next up I'll try with my original hack-- maybe later tonight.

[Oscar]

Fail.

Well, running NBI special from USB ultimately failed to recover SL, unfortunately, although it did fix the keyboard/trackpad access once I booted using recovery=y.

Oh well, this thread's a bust.

[SeijnSei]

After doing this and running NBI I get a prompt asking me to select a target, but there is no target for me to select? I am trying to resolve the no wireless/airport card detected situation. Other than that the install worked flawlessly....

[JnC]

Originally Posted by Oscar

Fail.

Well, running NBI special from USB ultimately failed to recover SL, unfortunately, although it did fix the keyboard/trackpad access once I booted using recovery=y.

Oh well, this thread's a bust.

Oscar,
Is there any way you could add this conclusion to your original post? Or does it work???

If this scheme doesn't work it would save folks a lot of anguish reading the thread only to get to the end and discover it's a no go. Unless it actually does work for some...

Can you tell me again, for the stupider one amongst us, why this scheme produces something better than the original USB flash drive with NBI and SL as used for the original installation? (or can this drive not be used when something fails for some reason - I don't know about this stuff, obviously???)

I really admire and applaud your attempts to break your install just to test your idea.

J

[ofey]

Thanks for this Oscar.
I've sent you an invite to Google+